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I Don’t Even Like Marriott and I Still Recommend This Card
If you’ve known me longer than five minutes, you probably know that I am a Hyatt fangirl (and newly minted Globalist! But I digress). While I can appreciate the merits of both the Hilton and IHG loyalty programs, I’ve never understood the appeal of Marriott Bonvoy. Unlike Hyatt, it’s hard to get good value from…
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2025 Year in Review
2025 was my second year in award travel, and I have leveled up my game considerably. Read on to learn about the points I earned, the points I burned, and the lessons learned along the way. Points Redeemed Out of Pocket Cost Cash Price Flights 743,995 $2,789.21 $44,645.25 Hotels 701,000 $0 $18,222.12 Totals 1,444,995 $2,789.21…
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Award Flight Deal Alert Services: Are They Right for You?
I subscribe to a popular flight deal alert service. Services like Thrifty Traveler Premium and Straight to the Points Award Alert Service send out emails whenever there’s a fare sale, an award space drop, or another opportunity to get travel at a great value, whether it’s with cash or points. One recent email highlighted the…
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It’s Go Time: Earn BOGO Flights for 2026 and 2027 with the Southwest Companion Pass
Author’s Note I’m republishing this post with updates for October 2025, in light of the current best-ever offer on the Southwest Performance Business card. This is the easiest path to the companion pass that we’ve seen all year, but hurry–this offer ends October 22nd. Tl;dr: One of the best deals in award travel, the Southwest…
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Courtyard Carolina Beach: Value and Family-Friendly Amenities
I thought I’d never open a Marriott card…but never say never. When Capital One announced changes to their Venture X lounge access in mid-2025, I knew we had to initiate the year-long process to obtain a Ritz-Carlton card to secure lounge access for our family. My P2 dutifully opened the Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card,…
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Maximize Your Points: Booking a Dream Trip to Hawaii
Booking a trip to Hawaii is almost a rite of passage for points and miles people; it’s an aspirational destination that usually comes with a correspondingly high price tag. Unsurprisingly, it’s a popular points and miles destination, because you can get some incredible value for your points! Here’s how we’re doing it. Flights & Hotels…
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Kate's on a Plane 